Scandinavian Dark Rye Bread

The search continues for a good homemade rye bread.  I loved the Swedish Rye Bread that I made last week, but my husband wasn't a big fan.  Well, you can't pleased them all!!  So the search continues!!  I stumbled upon this recipe on the Internet on Beatrice Ojakangas website and thought I would give it a try.   Fortunately I had all the ingredients!!  It was your typical dreary wintry day in Ohio and I was still recovering from pneumonia - perfect day to stay inside and make bread!!


SCANDINAVIAN DARK RYE BREAD

Ingredients
2 envelopes or 4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup dark molasses
3 tablespoons melted butter (I used unsalted butter)
2 tablespoons caraway seeds, optional
2 cups rye flour or cracked wheat
3 to 4 cups unbleached bread flour

Directions:

In a large bowl, stir yeast into warm water; let stand 5 minutes to soften.

Stir in molasses, butter, and caraway seeds if used. Stir in rye flour or cracked wheat. (Your house will smell OH so nice!!!)

Let stand 10 minutes. Adding 1 cup of flour at a time, beat in enough to make a stiff dough.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board. Cover with a dry cloth let stand 15 minutes.

Wash and grease the bowl; set aside. Grease two 9 by 5-inch loaf pans; set aside.

Knead dough on a lightly floured board about 10 minutes, adding a bit more flour as necessary. Place in the greased bowl and turn to grease all sides.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

Punch down dough and divide in half.

Shape each half into a loaf. Place loaves, seam-side down in prepared pans. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk or until loaves fill the pans, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush tops of loaves with water and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean and dry. Turn out of pans; cool on a rack.

Makes 2 loaves

VERDICT:

My husband loved the bread.  I only baked them 40 minutes.  I think they needed the extra 5 minutes.  But, other than that, they were good.  This is definitely a keeper recipe.  Beatrice said this was Danish pumperknickel - no, not even close!  But it is a good homemade rye bread.  

Here is the complete recipe:

SCANDINAVIAN DARK RYE BREAD by Beatrice Ojakangas

Ingredients

2 envelopes  or 4 1/2  tsps active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

1/2 cup dark molasses

3 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons caraway seeds, optional

2 cups rye flour or cracked wheat

3 to 4 cups unbleached bread flour

Directions:

In a large bowl, stir yeast into warm water; let stand 5 minutes to soften. 

Stir in molasses, butter,and caraway seeds if used. 

Stir in rye flour or cracked wheat. Let stand 10 minutes. 

Adding 1 cup of flour at a time, beat in enough to make a stiff dough. 

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board. Cover with a dry cloth let stand 15 minutes. 

Wash and grease the bowl; set aside. Grease two 9 by 5-inch loaf pans; set aside. 

Knead dough on a lightly floured board about 10 minutes, adding a bit more flour as necessary. 

Place in the greased bowl and turn to grease all sides. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. 

Punch down dough and divide in half. Shape each half into a loaf. Place loaves, seam-side down in prepared pans. 

Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk or until loaves fill the pans, about 1 hour. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush tops of loaves with water and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean and dry. 

Turn out of pans; cool on a rack. 

Makes 2 loaves